Selco News

Two children’s adventure play areas in Hackney are set to be revamped - thanks to our Community Heroes competition.

The Hackney Play Association is a charity in London which seeks to improve children and young people’s health and wellbeing through play. It runs two adventure playgrounds and puts on free after-school sessions and holiday provisions.

It was one of five winners of our Community Heroes scheme in September, and it will receive £1,000 worth of materials to complete much-needed works.

Hackney Play Association oversees upkeep of its building and playgrounds, with the donation of materials from us set to help complete the essential updates.

Association spokesperson Sianead Crawford said: “Our adventure playgrounds were formed more than 50 years ago and, as a charity, we are in charge of making sure they are in good working order.

“These playgrounds sit in the centre of the local community and we desperately need to refurbish our zip line and log cabin.

“The materials provided by Selco are going to be vital for us to complete these works. We cannot begin to explain our gratitude for giving Hackney Play Association a huge boost.”

The charity will spend the £1,000 of credit in its local Selco store, which is Canning Town on Cody Road.

Simon Humpage, Head of Multi-Channel Marketing at Selco, said: “September was a month with so many brilliant entries for our Community Heroes campaign - and this was a fine example.

“Hackney Play Association is vital to its local community, and the play areas keep children of all ages engaged and occupied. Both garden space and outdoor play areas are limited in areas of London, so these types of community play facilities are even more important.

“Awarding the charity with the materials to improve their facilities is exactly what Community Heroes is all about.

“Our campaign is now entering the exciting next phase, where we will shortlist 10 good causes to go before the public to win big cash prizes. We can’t wait to announce our finalists in the coming weeks.”

A Birmingham-based football club has secured funds to renovate its clubhouse - thanks to our Community Heroes competition.

Maypole Football Club, based in Solihull, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. The team has landed £1,000 worth of building materials through the Community Heroes scheme to spend at their local Selco.

As part of the football club’s celebrations, it plans to renovate its facilities and it is in desperate need of supplies to complete the work.

Club spokesman Mukesh Hallan said: “We are a community-based football team that has been going for half a century.

“We do not discriminate on grounds of ability, so we may not win every match, but for us, it is all about taking part.

“We are so grateful to Selco for providing us with the supplies to renovate our clubhouse. Our motto is that every child should be able to play football, and better facilities makes this easier to do.”

Maypole has recently launched new girls and disabled football teams, which the club plans to enhance even further in the coming years.

The renovation is already under way, but the materials from Selco, which it will collect from the Solihull branch on Ashbourne Way, should enable the club to be able to complete the work.

September was the final month of our Community Heroes scheme. From the 40 monthly winners, two from each region will be shortlisted to make a final 10. An overall winner will be determined by a public vote.

The winner will receive a £10,000 cash prize, with the runner-up taking home £5,000 and third place winning £2,500.

Simon Humpage, Head of Multi-Channel Marketing at Selco, said: “Maypole FC in Birmingham is yet another worthy winner of our Community Heroes initiative. We are delighted to be able to provide them with the materials to complete their clubhouse renovation, for the benefit of so many young people in the area.

“Allowing clubs like Maypole the opportunity to improve their offering is exactly what Community Heroes is all about.

“Everyone at Selco is now really excited to be entering the next phase of the campaign, where our finalists will be revealed – and our big winners decided.”

We're providing the materials to allow a London charity to finish its new mental health room, thanks to our Community Heroes competition.

KO Club Trust UK, based in Hounslow in West London, is one of five organisations to benefit from our Community Heroes campaign in September.

The initiative has seen the charity secure £1,000 worth of in-store credit to spend at its local store, Selco Hanworth, off Hampton Road.

The charity offers a sanctuary in the local area by using sport to empower and support individuals who need it most.

Tiger Vijay, Founder and Lead Trustee, said: “We are so grateful to Selco for providing us with the support, which will enable us to complete our new mental health room. It has given the charity a massive boost.

“We offer a sanctuary where there was none. Our trauma-informed safe space provides warmth, dignity and care to those in crisis.

“Completing our new room will give those who use our facilities a space to come, relax and be themselves.”

September was the final month of our Community Heroes initiative, which has seen 40 winners overall each secure £1,000 to spend in store.

Two victors per region are set to be selected to form a final shortlist of 10, from which an overall winner will be picked by a public vote and receive a cash prize of £10,000. The runner-up will collect £5,000, and third place will collect £2,500.

Simon Humpage, Head of Multi-Channel Marketing at Selco, said: “There were so many outstanding applications for September’s Community Heroes, but this one stood out.

“KO Club Trust UK does great work within Hounslow and the wider West London area, and it is a pleasure to be able to give them the materials they need to complete their mental health room.

“Helping charities like KO Club Trust UK is exactly what Community Heroes is all about, and it is a privilege to be involved.

“Everyone at Selco is extremely proud of Community Heroes, which has become the cornerstone of our charitable activities. We have already given away a sensational £40,000 worth of building materials – and I cannot wait to find out who comes out on top in the public vote.”

With hundreds of trade brands always in stock, Selco’s 74 UK stores are firmly focused on helping tradespeople complete their jobs as quickly and effectively as possible.

As well as offering trade services, Selco also has a strong digital presence including Click & Deliver and Click & Collect services and an app - as well as a ‘Dial & Deliver’ telephone service - to make life as convenient as possible for tradespeople.

A youth club in Cheshire has secured support to repair its well-used base - thanks to our Community Heroes competition.

Frodsham Youth Club is a charity supporting young people in the local area. The club has received £1,000 worth of building materials after becoming one of our Community Heroes winners for September.

Five organisations have been presented with £1,000 to spend in their local Selco, with volunteers at Frodsham Youth Club preparing to visit our Warrington store on Milner Street.

The charity will spend the in-store credit on materials to carry out essential maintenance to its building, which is in a state of disrepair.

Charity spokesperson Liam Jones said: “We cannot thank Selco enough for the kind donation of materials to help repair our building, which has fallen on hard times.

“The materials are going to allow our volunteers to refurbish our main activity hall as well as other urgent facilities.

“This is not just decorating for us - this is an investment in our future to ensure we have a space to be proud of. This is going to be so important for us moving forward.”

Frodsham Youth Club supports more than 300 children each week and the refurbishment, thanks to Community Heroes, will allow that to continue.

The youth club is one of 40 winners, and this is the final month of the competition. Two good causes will be selected from each region to make up a final shortlist of 10, with an overall winner to be announced following a public vote.

The outright winner will receive a cash prize of £10,000, with second place taking home £5,000 and third place winning £2,500.

Simon Humpage, Head of Multi-Channel Marketing at Selco, said: “We were really touched by what Frodsham Youth Club offers to the local community, and it is a pleasure for us to be able to help them through the Community Heroes initiative.

“The materials they will receive from their local store are going to have a lasting impact on the more than 300 people they help. We are honoured to be able to help them.

“40 good causes have benefited from Community Heroes this year. That is astonishing in itself – but now we are preparing to reveal our 10 finalists, who will go head-to-head to win one of our big cash prizes. Everyone at Selco is excited at that prospect.”

A charity which is the first port of call for the homeless in Dacorum has been named one of our regional Community Heroes.

DENS, an organisation which provides a roof and a bed for homeless people in the local area, with £1,000 worth of materials to improve its facilities.

The charity operates in Hertfordshire and supports anyone facing homelessness, poverty and social exclusion, supporting them to make a positive next step in their lives.

It has five move-on properties, which provide temporary accommodation for individuals in need, and the materials will be used to upkeep these properties. The charity is one of five monthly winners around the country in our Community Heroes campaign.

Siobhan Turner, spokesperson for DENS, said: “We cannot begin to demonstrate how grateful we are to Selco for donating the materials, which will allow us to complete vital maintenance to our move-on properties.

“We will use the donation to make them feel homely, which will instil a sense of belonging and pride for those who come to us for support when they need it most.”

DENS has a total of five properties with a total of 17 bedrooms available to support homeless people. The charity will be able to spend their £1,000 on building materials at our Hemel Hempstead store on Maylands Avenue.

There have already been 40 monthly winners in our Community Heroes scheme – but the best is yet to come.

Ten finalists will soon be shortlisted – two from each of our five regions. A public vote will follow, with the overall winner receiving a cash prize of £10,000, second place collecting £5,000 and third place receiving £2,500.

Simon Humpage, Head of Multi-Channel Marketing at Selco, said: “It is a pleasure to be able to help DENS, which does great work in the local community to help support the homeless in Hertfordshire.

“There were some great entries in this month’s competition, but DENS were able to demonstrate how essential they are to the people needing support in Dacorum.

“We're honoured to be able to help them upkeep their facilities which will allow the charity to continue to provide support to those in need in the local area.

“Everyone at Selco is extremely proud to have been involved in Community Heroes, which has donated £40,000 worth of building materials this year alone. We are now on the cusp of entering the next stage of the competition, which will see 10 good causes go head-to-head to win one of our big cash prizes. I can’t wait to see who comes out on top.”

With hundreds of trade brands always in stock, Selco’s 74 UK stores are firmly focused on helping tradespeople complete their jobs as quickly and effectively as possible.

As well as offering Trade Services, Selco also has a strong digital presence including Click & Deliver and Click & Collect services and an app - as well as a ‘Dial & Deliver’ telephone service - to make life as convenient as possible for tradespeople.

A colleague at our Exeter store has displayed incredible pedal power to complete a gruelling cycling charity challenge.

Kody Taylor, a Trade Sales Assistant at Selco Exeter, rode 330 miles in three-and-a-half days to raise money for Cancer Research UK.

The scale of the challenge represented the distance between Exeter and our furthest away store in York.

Kody completed the challenge by cycling dozens of miles a day around Exeter and the wider Devon area.

The 19-year-old has raised more than £1,100 for a charity he was keen to support after a family member was diagnosed with cancer.

Kody said: “My great-nan has been battling cancer so I wanted to do something to raise money and the fact that our nominated charity at Selco is Cancer Research gave me the perfect chance.

“I cycle to work every day but I’ve never done a journey of more than 22 miles so to ride more than 300 miles in three-and-a-half days was really out of my comfort zone.

“In many ways, it was enjoyable but it was also very painful and my knees were swelling up which made it difficult.

“I’m glad I’ve done it and raised a good amount of money – but I was also glad when it was over!

“I’m grateful for the support I’ve had from all Selco colleagues and customers who have been generous with their donations and asking how I’ve been getting on through training and in the challenge itself.”

We have now raised more than £550,000 for Cancer Research UK over the last three-and-a-half years.

All the money raised over the period has been used to help fund vital research by scientists, doctors and nurses in the quest to help beat cancer.

A West Midlands activity centre that welcomes around 7,000 young people each year has been given a major clean-up - thanks to the hard work of Selco volunteers.

Colleagues from our Wolverhampton store spent a week clearing laurel, brambles and ferns to make space at Patshull Activity Centre in Albrighton.

The 30-acre site supports children and young people from all backgrounds, including scouts, guides and cadets.

Store Manager Craig Dickinson said: “We had a team of 18 colleagues working at the site in groups of four or five from Monday to Friday.

“The amount of work we managed to complete was fantastic. When we arrived we couldn’t see the ground in some areas, but now there are places for the kids to play.

“Scouting holds a special place in my heart and I was an adult volunteer until Covid struck. This was a way for us to give something back to our local community. I’m really proud of the team and everything they have achieved.”

Every member of Selco's near 3,000-strong workforce receives a paid volunteering day each year to lend support to a community or charity project.

Craig added: “It’s so good that Selco gives us that opportunity to volunteer. It makes a real difference.

“It is also a great teambuilding opportunity and allows colleagues to see each other in a different setting.”

Richard Shackleton, a Trustee at Patshull Activity Centre, said: “The support from Selco has been tremendous. We’re a large site in the heart of a Capability Brown estate, and while we have around 60 volunteers, keeping on top of it all is still a challenge.

“Many businesses come for a single day - but to have Selco’s team with us for a full week has been fantastic. Their efforts will help us provide a wide range of safe activities for young people.”

Colleagues from our Wolverhampton store braved autumnal downpours to complete a marathon-distance canoe challenge in aid of charity.

Nine members of the team at Selco Wolverhampton donned buoyancy aids and paddles to paddle along the River Severn from Coalport to Bewdley recently.

Despite torrential rain and thunderstorms, the team managed to complete the 27-mile distance within two days, including an overnight camp.

Backed by their colleagues, the canoeists raised around £1,500 for our nominated charity of the year Cancer Research UK – with hopes the figure might top £2,000 once all donations are in.

Store Manager Craig Dickinson praised his colleagues, and in particular Salimatou Bah and Seema Harian, who overcame a fear of water to join the fundraiser.

He said: “This is our second annual fundraiser for Cancer Research having climbed Snowdon as a team last year.

“I was really pleased so many people took part in what was a difficult challenge in awful conditions. We had to get off the water at one stage due to thunder and lightning, but we still pushed on to finish.

“I was particularly proud of Salimatou and Seema, who don’t like water and actually along with myself capsized at one stage but showed bravery to see it through.

“Cancer Research UK is a fantastic charity and we are all proud to have played our part in backing the invaluable work they do.”

Selco has been supporting Cancer Research UK for the last three years and has now raised well over £500,000, which is used to help the charity’s studies into the prevention and treatment of cancer through the work of over 4,000 doctors, nurses and scientists.

A kitchen community group in Essex has secured funds through our Community Heroes campaign to redevelop its new base.

Mother’s Kitchen Community Group, which is an offshoot of a café in Pitsea near Basildon that goes by the same name, has won £1,000 of building materials as part of our award-winning charitable campaign.

The group has recently taken over the lease of the Parkside Centre in Pitsea, which has been unused for the last 12 years.

The centre requires major refurbishment to get it back in working order, and because of the group’s work in the community, it is one of five monthly winners to be awarded £1,000 of store credit to spend in its local Selco store.

Maz Salih, the founder of Mother’s Kitchen Community Group, said: “The building materials from Selco will help us transform this neglected space into a thriving hub, offering a safe, welcoming environment for the community.

“We partner with 56 organisations and aim to provide vital resources to those in need, and we are so thankful to Selco for giving us a much-needed boost to help get our redevelopment under way.”

Lisa Hambelton, Stuart Terson and Stephani Brewester are also directors of the group. It supports local families through its youth clubs, sets up community projects and provides essential services like food parcels and household goods.

It will get its materials from our Basildon store on Crompton Close before kicking off its refurbishment of the centre.

Simon Humpage, Head of Multi-Channel Marketing at Selco, said: “We are delighted to be able to provide the materials to Mother’s Kitchen Community Group so they can refurbish a centre which has been left empty for 12 years.

“The group is another worthy winner of Selco’s Community Heroes campaign, and they deserve this kind of support because of the brilliant work they do in south Essex.”

A voluntary youth organisation has landed funds to redevelop its premises, thanks to our Community Heroes scheme.

The 1454 Harrow Squadron has secured £1,000 worth of materials to spend with us in store.

The Royal Air Force Air Cadets in south Harrow help young people grow and reach their potential, but its facilities urgently need redevelopment and the organisation must self-fund.

The squadron has volunteers to carry out the essential work, and it has now secured £1,000 of materials thanks to our initiative, which it will spend in our Ruislip store on Field End Road.

Kesa Kerai, Chairperson for the 1454 Harrow Squadron's Civilian Committee, said: “It is great to be one of the winners of Selco’s Community Heroes scheme and the money will go a long way to helping complete the desperate work which needs to be done to our premises.

“We want to provide a safe and comfortable environment for the youngsters who come to us and upgrading our facilities is essential for that. The cadets need somewhere they can try new experiences, make friends and build skills that will last them a lifetime.

“We cannot wait until our new space is there for them to enjoy.”

The funds will pay for 1454 Harrow Squadron to purchase essential items like toilets, basins and kitchen units and it is one of five winners in August.

Simon Humpage, Head of Multi-Channel Marketing at Selco, said: “The RAF Air Cadets in south Harrow is another brilliant winner of our Community Heroes campaign, which is all about celebrating the work in local areas.

“We have had so many entries so the judging was so difficult, but 1454 Harrow Squadron were a clear standout, and we are delighted to provide them with the materials to improve its facilities.”